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Shellphones

I found these shells on the beach in Southern California. I brought them with me to Alva, Oklahoma in an attempt to bring the sound of the ocean inland to this landlocked area of the country located almost exactly halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The sound a user hears when wearing Shellphones is pink noise, a sound often found in nature which is known to have a relaxing effect on the listener. In addition to actually being seashells, the Shellphones are symbolic of the shells we construct around ourselves when we do things such as wear headphones.

During my stay as a visiting artist at NWOSU in Alva, OK I enjoyed photographing people form a variety of communities wearing the Shellphones. The photographs capture the expression on peoples face upon first trying them on. In these photographs the Shellphones create a common visual thread connecting the people who I encountered with the shared, momentary experience of listening to the ocean in Oklahoma. Scroll down to see these portraits. A very special thank you to everyone who paused and posed listening to the ocean!